Hoi An: The Lantern Festival

Hoi An’s ancient temples and pagodas are packed with worshippers; the smell of incense fills the streets of the old town; tables of votive offerings for ancestors and spirits stand outside every home, lit by flickering candles: It’s the eve of the Lantern Festival in Hoi An, also known as the Mid-Autumn or Harvest Festival. Traditionally this is a time to thank the gods, ghosts and ancestors for a good crop, to eat good food, and for children to play around dressed-up in masks and carrying special lanterns. Troupes of dragon dancers roam the streets, paying a visit to any shop owner looking to have their business blessed for the coming year and cleansed of any bad luck. There’s a sense of anticipation in the air as dusk falls in Hoi An: locals, Vietnamese and foreign tourists alike wait for the lanterns to be turned on and the dragon dances to begin. Even on a ‘normal’ day Hoi An exudes plenty of charm, but during the Lantern Festival it’s more beguiling than ever. Here’s what it looked like during the celebrations on September 8, 2014.

The Lantern Festival in Pictures:

As the sun sets and the full moon rises residents of Hoi An set up tables full of offerings for dead ancestors: food, tea, paper money, houses and cars.

Children dress-up in costumes and masks resembling dragons and other characters with ghoulish facial features.

Dragon dancers perform outside shop-fronts to bring prosperity and ward off bad luck. All traffic and passers-by stop to witness the acrobatics of the fire-breathing dragons. The troupes are made up of boys, mostly in their teens.

All other lights are extinguished in Hoi An’s old town as hundreds of lanterns are lit. Hanging from trees and illuminating shop fronts they create an irresistibly romantic atmosphere.

This ancient light show creates an enchanting play of light and shadow on Hoi An’s old buildings and stores.

By the Thu Bon River children sell lanterns to people who set them afloat on the water with a wish.

It’s a captivating evening and thousands cram the narrow streets of Hoi An’s old town to watch the dances, see the lanterns and soak up the atmosphere.

Why You Should Go With Us

+ You will find that out local volunteer students are both enthusiastic and eager to learn English while also sharing their knowledge and culture of Hoian Old Quarter with you.

+ We provide our exciting and unparalleled chance to explore the local countryside on a bicycle, all while gaining a unique perspective of the local residents who work tireless to preserve their ancient culture and make ends meet.

+ We will do out best to guarantee an excellent tour. Your high expectation fuel our passion to provide an absolutely unforgettable adventure.

+ When you decide to take our tour all of your money goes directly to this beautiful community and its inhabitants while it is not explicitly necessary, we appreciate any and all donations to our wonderful and hard working guides to help them pay for their educations.